Replaceable beet elevating spike for beet harvesters



May 1, 1951 ck. A. CUSHMAN REPLACEABLE BEET ELEVATING SPIKE FOR BEET HARVESTERS Filed June 9, 1945 FIQZ) INVENTOR BY GEORGEACUSHMAN AT ORNEY Patented May 1, 1951 REPLACEABLE BEET ELEVATING SPIKE FOR BEET HARVESTERS George A. Cushman, MinneapolisyMinn assignor of one-half to Harry R. Olson, Minneapolis,

Minn.

Application June 9, 1945, Serial No. 598,597

2 Claims. 1 .This invention relates to a replaceable spike for beet harvesters or similar machines which are adaptedto pick up sugar beets or other vegetables which are harvested from the ground and where it is desirable to elevate the beet or the body of the vegetable and to sever the top and the foliage from the body of the beet.

A' feature resides in providing a replaceable spike which is adapted'to be secured to the rimof the harvester wheel so that a new spike may be Y secured to the rim whenthe old spike is worn outJ Furthermore it is a feature to provide an adjustable spike which may be adjusted to project from the rim of the pickup wheel to a pre determined distance. This permits a long or shortportion of the spike to project fromthe Wheel which supports the spike.

A-primary feature of thispickup spike resides I in the formation of the end which is adapted to be forced into the crown of the beet as the wheel carryi'nglthe spikes rotates over the ground. The wheel carrying the spike may be in any suitable form'and as illustrated is a narrow platedike annular. wheel formed with internal teeth for supporting and rotating the wheel in the operation of the beet harvester.

The pickup spikes are spaced apart about the entire rim of the wheel and project therefrom so as to penetrate into the crown of the beet as the spikes rotate over the ground. A primary feature of this pickup spike resides in the formation of the-end which is designed to penetrate easily into the beet but is formed with a series of annular shoulders so as to prevent the beet from slipping off the spike once it is picked up by the same so that one or more spikes may penetrate into the crown of the beet, depending on the size of the beet, and thus the beet will be supported pr jecting from the rim of the wheel which carries the beet around to a position where the crown may be severed from the body of the beet. The crown of the 'beetcarries the foliage which projectswabove the head of the beet and is severed with the crown to separate the same from the body of the beet. It is important that the spike firmly support the beet to carry it up into topping positionland by means of the shoulders on the spikes the beet is held firmly in place. When the crown of the beet is severed with the foliage from the body of the beet, the pickup. wheel carries the same around to a position where the crown with thefoliage of the beet is forced off the spikes.

It is important that the shoulders be formed on the outer end of the spike so as to hold the beet from dropping on the spike as the beet is 2 elevated between the wheels. A base shoulder formed annularly about the spike' below the shoulders formed on the outer end of the spikes prevents the spikes from penetratingtoo deep into the body of the beet as it is picked up by the spike. The pickup end of the spike isof primary importance and may be formed round or flat with longitudinal grooves extending through the ad jacent positioned conical ends formed on the outer ends of the spike.

It is also a feature to provide a pickup wheel in combination with the pickup spikes wherein the surface of the wheel may be formed with a radial groove in which the shank ofthe spike may be supported to hold the spike in uprightposition and then by means of a suitable clamp the shank of the spike may be secured to the Wheel and held adjustable so as to extend orproje'ct from the outer rim of the wheel. It is also a feature to stagger the spikes, placing one on one side andthe next on the opposite side of the pickup wheel.

These features together with other details and objects of the invention will be more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings forming a cation: 7

Figure 1 illustrates one of the spikes.

Figure 2 illustrates a similar view of the spike showing longitudinal grooves formed in the conical shoulders. f

Figure 3 is an end view of Figure 1 looking toward the point and th conical shoulders.

Figure. 4 is an end View of Figure 2 showing the longitudinal grooves.

Figure 5 is a detail of the flattened end of an alternative form of the spike. j

Figure 6 is a view of the spike shown in Figure 5 looking toward the edge of the fiat outer end of the spike.

Figure 7 is an end view of Figure 5 looking toward the point of the spike.

Figure 8 illustrates a portion of .the pickup wheel of the beet harvester showing the spike secured by a, pair of clamps to the side of the wheel.

Figure 9 is another detail of a portion of the pickup wheel showing another form of securing the shank of the spike to the wheel.

Figure 10 is a detail showing the clamps used in Figure 8 and showing a portion of the pickup wheel.

Figure 11 is a detail showing the clamps and manner of securing the shank of the spike as shown in Figure 9.

part of. the specifiprovide a series of shoulders !5 at the base ofeach conical portion. The rod portion of the spike i directly below the lower conical end 14 such as the portion [6 is reduced in diameter below the diameter of the shank portion Ii anda washer shoulder I? is secured to the shank H of the spike H].

The spike Ill may be secured to the pickup wheel l8 illustrated in Figures 8 and 9 as shown by the U shaped clamps 19 in Figure 8 and the clamp I9 is Figure 9.

Where one clamp i9 is used as illustrated in Figure 9, the shank ll of the spike I6 is bent at right angles to form end 26 which projects into the hole 2i formed in the wheel i8 as shown in Figure 9.

The clamps [9 shown in Figure 8 support the spike: [6 adjustable so that the spik may be projected more or less from the outer edge 22 of the wheels l8. Y

A number of wheels are adapted to be used on harvester and each of the wheels is formed with plate-like rim i8 with an cuter arcuated or circular rim 22 and with internal teeth 23 formed on the inside or" the wheel. Only small details of the wheels. are illustrated in the drawings, but the beet harvester is not illustrated. In a beet harvester of this character using wheels to pick up the sugar beets out of the ground as they have been plowed loose by suitable plow means (not illustrated), each wheel carries a large number of the pickup spikes is projecting from the outer rims 22 of the wheels and spaced comparatively close so that one or more spikes lil will penetrate into the crown of the beet and pick it upout of the ground as the wheel rotates. The wheels are large like a large wheel on a trac'tcr and rotate over the ground to cause the spikes iii to penetrate into the crown of the beets.

The shoulders 55 on the spikes lil keep the beet from falling off the spike as the beet is raised out of the ground.

The washer shoulders ii prevent the spike from being forced too far into the top of the beet.

In the form of the spike illustrated in Figures 2 and 4 longitudinal grooves 25 are formed extending through the respective cones I2, is, and M. The grooves 24 permit the fibers in the beet to enter therein and to cause the shoulders Hi at the base of the cones to creep firmly as barbs to hold the beet firmly on the outer end of the spike It.

The outer end of the spike it may be formed fiat as illustrated in Figures and 6 by the end portion 25. In this form the end 25 is like a blade and is formed with shoulders l5 beneath the point 26 and shoulders l5 act as barbs to hold the beet on to the spike. The entire spike I6 may be formed flat if it is desired like the fiat end 25. When the spike H3 is formed fiat it will enter into the beet like a knife blad making a very small slot-like out in the crown of the beet.

t may also be desirable to form the rim of the wheel I8 with radial grooves 21 so that the shank ll of the spike may be held in the grooves 21 to hold the spike in upright position. When grooves 21 are formed in the wheel l8 only a single clamp 69 is necessary to hold the spike in to th wheel The primary features reside in providing the spikes for picking up beets out of the ground 1 when the beets have been plowed loose of the earth. It is desirable that th spikes are adjustable and replaceable which is provided in the combination herein defined. It is also desirable that the spikes be formed with a sharp outer end having a series of barbs or shoulders which may be formed on either side of the spike when it is fiat or which extend annularly around thespike on the piercing end of the same. It is also desirabl that a sizeable shoulder be formed on the spike like the annular shoulder ll so as to limit the distance that the spike will penetrate into the crown of the beet. Further more it is desirable that the pickup spikes be staggered so that the adjacent spikes aresecured one on one side of the rim of the pickup wheel and one on the other side of the rim; thus the spikes are alternately spaced around the rim of thewheel and well adapted to cover a wider transverse area as the wheel rotates.

The drawings illustrate the different forms of the pickup spikes each of which have the same characteristics of providing a means of securely engaging in the crown of the sugar beet with sufficient holding force to elevate the beet into position so it can be topped and the crown of-the beet can be pushed off the spikes. One or more spikes will usually enter the crown of the beet to elevate it out of the ground. In this manner the spikes act as tines which penetrate into the crown of the beet, hold it firmly and by means of the rotating wheel Hi the beet is elevated out of the ground into position to be topped.

I claim:

l. A beet pickup spike including a shank for adjustably supporting the spike to a, rotatable wheel, the outer portion of said shank reduced in diameter, a series of barbs formed in said reduced diameter portion, a washer shoulder secured at the base of said reduced shank portion to control the amount of penetration of the spike into a beet.

2. The combination of a thin flat wheel and a beet pickup spike having a strong base portion adapted to lie against the face of said flat wheel, clamping bolts'extending through the wheel rim to adjustably support said spike, a reduced outer shank formed on said spike, a series of barbs formed on said shank and a washer shoulder fixed on said shank at the base thereof.

- GEORGE A. .CUSHMAN. .1

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS,

Number Name 'Date 166,663 Van Wagenen 1-,-.-- .Aug. '10, 1875 318,566 Jones May 26, 1885 495,505 Martin Apr. 18, 1893 1,533,672 Stockstill Apr. 14, 1925 1,'790,38'7 Monroe Jan. 27, 1931 

